PlayNow sports betting mistakes anger gamblers

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A sports bettor wants an investigation into the B.C. Lottery Corporation after it voided a bet he made and asked for its money back.

Single event betting, where there is only one possible outcome win or lose, is illegal in Canada but those bets have been allowed by the B.C. Lottery Corporation and in at least one case, paid out before being reversed.

On Oct. 17,Vancouver resident Jose Godoy-Toku bet $1,000 that Argentina would make it to the semi-final of the Rugby World Cup. Argentina won and the bet paid out $2,500.

“It was the first time I ever made a wager and I had won! So for me, it was amazing. You know,” said Godoy-Toku.

Two days later, the bet was voided and the B.C. Lottery Corporation asked for its money back, saying it was an error and contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.

“The first thing that popped into my mind: Would they have called me if I’d lost? ” asked Godoy-Toku.

“Of course in Canada we can’t allow single event betting,” said Laura Piva-Babcock, BCLC spokeswoman.

Betting on a single tournament, where multiple outcomes are possible, is legal in Canada but as a tournament winds down and teams are eliminated, there are more opportunities for single game bets, which have only one possible outcome. If the system doesn’t adjust as teams are eliminated, then single game bets are possible and those are illegal. And that’s what the BCLC says happened in Godoy-Toku’s case.

However, The B.C. Lottery Corporation has admitted to 55 errors on its PlayNow site over the past year. One of those errors involved Greg Butchart, who placed a combination parlay bet that wasn’t supposed to be allowed. BCLC allowed it to stand but changed the odds.

The BCLC rules state that when an error is made a bet can be voided or resettled at different odds.

“We take this very seriously, we do want to be accountable to our players and so we are reviewing the process that we use to monitor our site,” Piva-Babcock told CTV News.

Godoy-Toku says he continued to see single event bets offered even after BCLC admitted the bets were illegal. When he complained about his Argentina bet being reversed, he received an email from the Lottery Corporation offering him $1,500 as long as he signed a settlement agreement with a non-disclosure clause. BCLC said it was not an admission of liability and was a standard boiler plate settlement agreement.

“Can you imagine all the other people that may be received these settlements where they say, we’ll pay out your bet, but stay quiet. I’m sure a lot of people will take the money and sign it,” Godoy-Toku told CTV News.

Godoy-Toku now wants the RCMP to investigate to make sure no illegal best were paid or money taken on those who lost.

BCLC says it had 700,000 sports bets last year, and with so much volume in live sports betting mistakes happen. But it’s asked its outside contractor for a review and is doing an internal review as well. The outside contractor, Paddy Power, is based in Ireland.

BCLC says despite the errors, customers are still better off betting with them than playing the odds online in the grey market with non-regulated off-shore betting.